


Porch Light

by BayleyWinchester



Category: The Haunting of Hill House (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Happy ending being death, How they die, Multi, Sad, Sad with a Happy Ending, Short, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love, after series, post epilouge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-08 02:51:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16420976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BayleyWinchester/pseuds/BayleyWinchester
Summary: When the porch light flashes twiceIt's time to come home.~-~Luke was first. Then Steven. Then Theo. And then Shirley. All of them followed their little sister's footsteps.Back to Hill House.





	1. The Crain Children;

The Crain children dealt with Hill House in different ways. They always had of course, with drugs, denial, isolation or fear. They had dealt with the effects of the house since they were children. More so now. More so now that Nell and their father were there as well. Stuck in the house with their mother. Their different ways turned into new ways.

Denial turned into responsibility and acceptance.  
Fear turned into realizations and calmness.  
Isolation turned into laughter and love.  
Drugs turned into knowledge and longing.

The Crain children dealt with Hill House in different ways. But that didn’t change the ending of their story.


	2. Steven,

Steve always felt bad for how he treated his siblings, especially the twins when they were growing up. He had acted like they were crazy, he had treated like them like they were sick and wrong. Never considering the possibility that they were right. No, he locked the entire idea away in a place he could never see it. He didn’t want to entertain the idea that they had lived in a haunted house. That they were haunted with actual ghosts, not just metaphysical ideas that they made into ghosts. 

That line of thinking had ended with Nell and their father dead. 

The others had said that it wasn’t his reluctance to believe that killed them. Luke had explained that Nell was sick, her depression worsening after Arthur and that it wasn’t a siblings fault. They all still felt guilty of course. 

“To the twins,” Theo muttered with her raised glass. Trish rubbed her back as everyone took a sip. They along with the remaining Crain children and spouses were sitting around Shirley's living room table. All of them looked worse for wear, seventy years of life does that to a person. 

“The twins,” Shirley echoed as she took her own drink. Steve sipped at his wine as well as Leigh leant closer to his side. Even after forty and twenty years, it was hard to accept the fact that his baby siblings were gone. He’d always been one to ignore and bottle up that kind of thing. 

Taking another sip Steven stood up, everyone looking to him. Leigh smiled reassuringly, a stark contrast to everyone else's confusion. Theo frowned up at him, connecting the look on his face to his reluctance to hug her at the front door. Looking down at Leigh he gathered all the courage he needed to tell his siblings what was happening. “I’m dying,” he said as strongly as he could and by the looks on everyone’s faces, it wasn’t all that strong. “I’ve got about a month left. I wanted to tell you guys now, so it wasn’t a shock.”

His sisters looked the most heartbroken he had seen in a long time and that was a hard thing to see. 

“How long have you known?” Shirley asked after a long stretch of silence. 

“About six months. It’s brain cancer, an inoperable tumour.”

“Are you going back-”

Steven cut her off with a nod. The sisters didn’t look happy with the answer. “You all know what Luke said.”

“You’re really going there? Are you sure?” Trish asked softly. She had been told what they all went through, told about the house, a long time ago now. “You can’t change your mind once it’s done.” 

“He’s been thinking this over non-stop,” Leigh said.

Shirley stood up first, moving as quickly as she could to get to her brother. She wrapped him in a hug that Theo quickly joined. The three of them, the three reaming Crain Children, stood in a tight embrace until Shirley could no longer stand. After that everyone moved into the living, the fact their brother was dying was cast out as they all talked happily and freely for the last time. 

~~

Steven went to the house a week after that. He packed a small bag and kissed Leigh goodbye. As if he was going away for the weekend. As if he would come home. Leigh cried, as did their children. Steve didn’t though. Not in front of them. Big brother instincts called for him to be the stronger one. He hugged them all for as long as he could and made Leigh swear she’d never go to the house. 

It was harder than he thought it would be. 

The house was in a terrible state when he arrived, which wasn’t a surprise but still caused a pang of sadness to run through him. It had been such a pretty house when they had lived there - bar the ghosts and horror of course. Weeds covered the entire garden, spreading onto the patio, some of the windows were broken and all of them were smeared with dirt and grime. The pillars were cracking and the low stone wall was falling down, small stones littering the floor. Inside was no better, forty years of neglect had caused the entire house to look dirty and broken. 

He pulled out his phone and messaged Leigh, he promised he would keep in contact ‘till the end. That way she would know when it was over. She replied almost instantly, telling him to stay safe. 

Upstairs looked the same as downstairs but all the rooms were in the same place which he was thankful for. His bedroom was how he had left it that night, even his bed was unmade and his shoes by the door. Steven placed his bag on his bed, deciding to stay in his room instead of the master or one of siblings rooms. This was his, the last room he had stayed in with his family. 

As soon as his bag was down he heard the floorboards creaking in the hallway. He turned around just in time to see Mrs Dudley standing there. She looked like she did when he was a child. Steven had heard of her death so it wasn’t like he was surprised to see her. The baby was new though. 

“You’re back,” she said with raised eyebrows. She didn’t look shocked, more concerned than anything else. “Why?”

“Cancer.”

“Like your brother.”

“Yeah. Wanted to come back before I die.”

“To die,” she said simply. No judgment or questioning in her tone. He nodded once. She pursed her lips, rocked the baby, and then sighed lowly. But she stayed silent, didn’t say anything else. The baby cried and then the two of them were gone. Steven sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. 

He had chosen this. Had known that he would come here ever since Luke had. But still, the idea of forever stuck in one house was a lot. It was, he wouldn't admit it out loud but, it was scary. Daunting. Luke had been so convinced that this was the right thing to do, all his research lead him to this conclusion. But Steven was still unsure. He wanted to be here, wanted to be with his family but eternity was so long. Too long to think about. 

The thoughts continued to swirl through his mind until a bang sounded downstairs. “Shit,” he muttered. Ghosts sucked. But he still stood and made his way down to the kitchen. The banging had actually been a broom and a mop falling over. Steven laughed lightly and picked it up. 

“We’ve been meaning to clean for a long time.”

Steven spun around as fast as he could. That voice was one he’d been dreaming about for a very, very long time. Since he was a child. And there they were. All four of them, smiling and young and glowing. 

Dropping the broom in his hand he pulled the twins into a hug. Olivia and Hugh joined in as Steven sobbed in their arms. Nell and Luke both rested a head on each of his shoulders and his father patted his back while his mother stroked his face. He sobbed again. Their parents pulled back first, leaving the three siblings to hug for a moment longer. “Why are you sad?” Nell asked sweetly, “you’re home.”

“I missed you.”

“You didn’t need to.”

“You’re back,” Luke said, “why?”

“Brain cancer,” Steven muttered in reply. 

Luke smiled and pulled Nell close to his side. “He’s staying with us. Aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t leave you alone.”

“My baby boy,” Oliva sighed happily. “You’ve come home.”

“I’m home.”


	3. Shirley,

Shirley was sitting in her bed one morning when the text, finally, came through. Theo was on her way. Shirley hadn’t worked in almost twenty years but she had to do this. She had fixed all her other siblings, she had to fix Theo as well. Slowly, that was the only way she could move now, she got out of bed. 

Her granddaughter, Eleanor, had followed in her footsteps, had even brought Shirley's funeral home when she became too old to work. But Eleanor had said she was happy for Shirley to come and work for a few days. Eleanor, ever the sweetheart (she definitely took after her namesake) text again to say she’d come and pick Shirley up so she didn’t have to worry. 

Which was funny in a way. Because Shirley had worried her entire life. She was the worrier of the family and everyone knew that. But now that all her siblings had passed on? She wasn’t worried. Maybe it was because she knew where they were, knew that she was going to be with them soon. Maybe it was because she didn’t have to worry about them being safe or happy seeing as she knew that they were. Whatever the reason, it didn’t really matter either. She didn’t need to worry anymore so she didn’t. As she thought through all this she got dressed and made her way to the porch. Shirley sat in her porch swing that she had gotten for Christmas and waited. Thinking back over all the years with her siblings and feeling a sense of calmness float over her. They were happy with their parents. They were safe together. They were waiting for her to come home. 

And she would.

~~

As soon as Theo’s service was over Shirley was packing her bags. All the kids, her own and her siblings, as well as the grandchildren and even one great-grandson, were at her house for one last family dinner. Theo’s children were the most visibly sad, which Shirley thought made sense. 

“Thank you for coming,” Shirley said with a soft smile when they were all having a coffee after dark. Everyone smiled back, a few saying they wouldn’t miss it. A phone lit up, the light reflecting up onto a picture Shirley had on the wall. It was off all of them when the twins graduated high school. Before the drugs and the depression. The smile on her face grew as she looked at it. 

“You’re going to the house,” one of Steven’s children, Jed, said quietly, his voice cutting through the room. “Like dad and everyone else.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Why?” Theo’s granddaughter, Lucy, asked. “Mum didn’t tell me when grandma went.”

“I didn’t know,” the mother in question muttered. 

Shirley shook her head, “we have to. Luke, after Nell passed, did so much research. We just have to go back.”

“But you get a choice,” Allie said, gripping her mother’s hand. 

“Not with this.”

Jayden frowned at his mother. “Why? Just don’t go.”

“Hill House isn’t a normal house,” Shirley started, going slow seeing as she didn’t really know how to say this. “It’s like, a trap. If you die there you stay there. So they’re all there now, waiting with our parents. I have to go.”

“That doesn’t explain why you have to go,” Allie muttered. 

“Luke, he learnt things about the house. Things I won’t go into because they don’t matter to you. It’s because we lived in the house that it applies. We don’t have a choice.”

“So if we went to the house -”

“No,” Shirley cut her daughter off. “No. You don’t go to the house. None of you.”

Steven’s son, Hugh, frowned. “I own it, why can’t I go there.”

“We lived there for six weeks, in that six weeks my mother killed herself and we all went mad. Do you want that? You know what your father told you to do.” There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. No one wanted to talk after that. Shirley smiled again, looking out over all her family. She was the last of her siblings alive, the oldest member of their entire family. But she was happy. Happy with her life, happy with how it would end. “It’s okay,” she said, breaking the silence. “We’re all going to be okay.”

“When are you going?” Allie asked. 

“Tomorrow morning.”

~~

Theo’s car was still parked in the driveway when Shirley arrived. Which was weird seeing as they had told her it had been towed away when they took her body. The house was as she remembered it, with more weeds and a few broken windows. As she was staring up at it one of the lights upstairs, her bedroom, turned on. It was like she was in a trance as she walked up to the front door. 

The door opened before she could even touch it. Inside the house was - not was Shirley was expecting. All the lights were on, the floor was clean, the windows were fixed, nothing was broken or even looked old. At the top of the stairs, Oliva stood in a beautiful white dress and a smile on her face. “Shirley, you’re back,” she said. It was like music to Shirley’s ears. As if Olivia’s voice was a call, Hugh appeared beside her at the top of the stairs.

“Shirl.”

“Hi. Mom, dad.”

“My sweet girl,” Oliva muttered as she walked down to her. Olivia’s hand was warm on Shirley’s cheek as she caressed her face. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

“You only took ten years,” Steve said as he and Theo walked in, the twins hot on their heels. 

Shirley grinned at them all. They all looked so young, all the age they had been when Nell had passed. Young and youthful and happy. Nell stepped around everyone else to pull Shirley into a tight hug, Luke joining in soon after. They felt so warm. It had been so long since she had seen them. So long. And being in their embrace again, just like they had when they were children, well it was the best feeling Shirley had in a long time. Tears gathered in Shirley’s eyes which Nell ripped away. “Don’t be sad,” she whispered in a pressed kiss to Shirley’s cheek. “Please don’t be sad, we’re here.”

When Nell and Luke finished their hug Steven moved in. His hug was just as tight as theirs and even more reassuring. Trust Steven, the big brother, to be the reassuring one. They had gotten so close in their old age and it was amazing to be back in his arms. As they hugged, Steve kissed her forehead gently, both of them smiling. When he pulled back, the smile growing, he said, “welcome home, Shirley.”

“How was the funeral?” Theo asked as she pulled Shirley into a hug. It wasn't as touching as the others if Shirley was being honest, Theo had only come to the house a few weeks ago after all. 

“Great. Not a dry face.”

“Good,” Theo replied with a smile. “And now you’re here.”

“You’re home,” Oliva said softly, she looked around everyone and her smile widened. “We’re all here. We’re all safe.”

Hugh rubbed her arm and nodded, his own small smile gracing his face. “We’re all here now.”


	4. Theo,

Theo has spent the first half of her life hiding from people. Her siblings, her friends, any potential partner. Then Nell had died. And then her dad. And then she realized that she could actually live her life. Kind of ironic that she realized that after two deaths. But, then, Theo liked ironic things so it was fine. Nell hit the hardest out of them, her little sister. And then there were four. 

She was sitting with Trish when the news of Luke came. She doesn’t remember much of that. She remembered Trish grabbing her and holding her. Remembered Shirley calling her soon after. Steven promising he was already on his way. Remembered the hurt. But also the relief. A tiny part of her was happy for him though, especially when she found out where he had died. At least he was with Nell. And then there were three.

Then Steven had said he was following him. Which, really, had shocked Theo. She hadn’t thought Steven would believe Luke. But, apparently, he did. She had been sitting with Shirley when Leigh had text them. That week had been hell, a horrible waiting game. Then it was over. And then it was two. 

After Steven, there was a dilemma. Theo didn’t want to leave Shirley alone nor did she want to be alone. When she told her big sister that, Shirley had smiled and had shaken her head, telling her that whoever went next went next. The other wouldn’t be far behind. So Theo and Shirley continued living and waiting to die. She was both terrified and excited. Sad to die but happy to be at the house again. 

The day she prepared to die she was sitting in Shirley's living room. Trish had been gone for exactly 3 years and six months, to the day. Theo had been the one to ask if she could come over, just to get away from her house for a few hours. Shirley had greeted her with a hug and a cup of tea. The two of them were sat opposite each other, going back and forth as they told stories about their gone partners. “I’m serious,” Shirley said as Theo laughed and shook her head. “He thought I meant pool noodles and brought six! Why would he think that? We didn’t even ” 

“Once Trish tried to seduce a bouncer to let us into a club. The dude was not impressed with her attempts.” 

“When Allie was born he ran to the car, hit his head on the garage door and ended up with stitches.”

“That’s why he had stitches?”

“He made me promise never to tell,” Shirley nodded, trying not to laugh.

Theo took another sip of tea and tried not to laugh at the story. As she put her cup down her phone chimed. Shirley didn’t seem to notice but Theo did. Because she had been at the doctors only a few days before. It had been a return check up until the doctor had noticed something with her heart. A few more tests and she had been sent away. She had been promised results within a week and apparently, it had arrived. She pulled her phone out, took another sip of tea and then, with a deep breath, looked down at her phone. The email was titled ‘Heart Testing Results - Theodore Crain.’ Shirley was looking over at her now, concern in her eyes. 

“What’s happening?”

“Some test results.” 

“What for?” Shirley looked even more concerned now. She placed the tea down on the table and was leaning forward. Theo sighed and looked down at her phone. The unopened email stared back at her. “Theo? Are you okay?” 

She wasn’t as scared as she thought she should be. The way the doctor had talked it sounded bad. She knew a little about the body from her degree, and she had looked at what the tests actually looked for. Theo continued to stare down at her phone. This email could tell her that she was going to die soon. That her life was coming to an end. And maybe it was because Trish had gone, or because every sibling par Shirley had gone, or because she was old, or because she knew what would happen after she died. Whatever it is, as she looked down at her phone, she didn’t care. The results didn’t matter in that moment. 

“My heart,” Theo replied. 

“Your heart?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Let’s find out,” she replied and clicked on the email. Theo pursed her lips as she read through it, Shirley staring at her. Shirley seemed to be tense then Theo. She took a deep breath and nodded as she read over the final sentence. “Arrhythmias.”

Shirley frowned, “what’s that?” 

“My heart beats wrong. I’m at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke.” 

“Oh god.”

“I- Shirl, I have to go back to the house. I can’t - can’t just wait.”

With her head shaking rapidly, Shirley started crying. “You can’t.”

“I have to.”

“We promised.”

“Well, this outweighs the promise.”

“Theo-”

“You can come after me. Don’t wait too long.” 

~~

The house loomed over Theo as she stepped out of her car. It was parked in the same place the family car had been that night. Not that she noticed. It was pouring with rain, the droplets bouncing off Theo’s umbrella and splashing on her shoes. Someone moved in the upstairs window, and this, this Theo did see. For a brief moment, she froze. The entire weight of the situation came crashing down like a tidal wave as she watched the figure walk away from the window. For all, she knew the figure was her mother or Luke or someone friendly. Or it could be one of the spirits that had messed with them all. Theo almost got back into her car to driveway. Facing things had never been her forte. And having to face the idea of death and then eternity wasn’t something she wanted to do. 

But, she didn’t get back in her car. Didn’t even look at it. No, instead she shoved her hands into the pair of gloves she had brought as she drove up here and started walking towards the house. She hadn’t worn gloves in years, but this house was so full of emotion that it was always so overwhelming. She just hoped that gloves helped tone it down a little. So that it wasn’t so insane in there. 

She was expecting the house to be dirty and broken inside, like the outside. She did not expect to walk into the sun shining and everything looking the same as it had done years ago. When they had first walked in. Theo looked around in wonder for a moment, taking it all in. The last time she had been in the house it had been full of weeds and broken windows and statues. But now, now it was perfect. A home. 

A noise drew her attention to the hallway to the kitchen. Steven was running out towards her with Luke chasing, both giggling as they went. They stopped to stare at her, looking up from their small frames. Theo nearly sobbed as she looked at them. Childhood versions of her brothers. Little Nell ran out after them, stopping beside Luke, the twins grabbing each other’s hands. Nell smiled, “you’re back.”

Theo didn’t know what to say. Which apparently didn’t matter, because Luke asked: “where’s Shirley?” 

As Theo went to speak there was a voice from the stairs. Her parents, looking as good as they did when they moved in, walked down. Her mother was the one speaking, smiling at them the way only a mother can. “Shirley will be home soon, I’m sure.”

“Yeah,” Theo nodded, her voice cracking. 

“That doesn’t matter,” Olivia said. “We have Theo now.”

“Yeah,” Theo echoed. “I’m here.”

Olivia stood beside Theo while Hugh stood behind the children. Theo looked down at her hand, which Olivia was now cupping. The bottle of pain medicine the doctor had given Trish years ago sat in her palm. It was a small thing, a liquid that Trish had said tasted like candy canes. She hadn’t finished the bottle. 

“Come on, let’s go have a tea party,” Olivia said, that smile still present. Nell and Luke both took off up the stairs, Hugh and Steven following. Olivia took Theo’s hand and started leading her away, the door closing behind them.


	5. And Luke,

Luke had a new will to live and he couldn’t wait to die.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7. Stay Alive. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7. Stay Alive. 

That was Luke’s new mantra. 

1.2.3.4.5.6.7. Stay Alive. 

Nellie was the reason he was still living.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7. 

Which was kind of ironic seeing as Nell was the reason he wanted to die.

Stay Alive. 

1.2.3.4.5.6.7. Stay Alive. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.

~~

The first time Luke saw Nell it was as they were leaving the hospital. She was standing by Steven’s car, all smiles and pretty dresses. Luke went to point her out to the others but by the time he raised his hand, she was gone. He put it down to drugs and a general sense of trauma. He was bundled into the back with Theo and Nell was (kind of) forgotten. The second time he saw her was when he got his one year chip. She was standing at the back of the hall, she smiled proudly at him and then disappeared. The third he saw her was when he woke up from a nightmare, one where Abigail wasn’t the first to drink but Nell was. She was standing beside him, lightly stroked his cheek and disappeared. 

All the siblings were at his apartment when he brought it up for the first time. Nearly three years after they had left the house. She was appearing more and more frequently now. They were celebrating Steven’s birthday that weekend. Just the four of them. Over a glass of orange juice (he didn’t drink anymore either) and a slice of cake he spoke up. “I’ve been seeing Nell.”

“What?” Shirley asked. 

“She’s appeared a few times since we left Hill House.”

An uneasy silence fell over them as they thought it over. “Do you-” Steven said “-do you think it’s actually her? Or just, ya know, your imagination? Like, dad.” 

“I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”

“You can’t go back there,” Theo said sternly. “No matter what.” 

Steven nodded, “you won’t leave the house if you do. Not again.” 

“I’m not going go back-” he didn’t mention the fact that he was going back at some point and that he wasn’t planning on leaving again “-I’m just going to find out what’s happening. Why the house is like it is.”

Shirley looked very unhappy with the quest Luke had set for himself. “It’s an evil house, Luke, you don’t want to get yourself wrapped up in it.”

“I already am,” Luke replied. Nell flashed before his eyes, the night in the red room with Abigail and their mother. The house wasn’t finished with him just like it wasn’t finished with Nell. “I just want to find out why Nell’s stuck there,” he lied. 

“And you’re not going back?” Steven asked.

“No.” He lied. 

~~

The first place he went was a psychic who, apparently, was the real deal. Luke believed in psychics, how could he not, but he was having doubts as soon as he walked in. The walls were covered in tapestries and candles were lit all over the place. The table had a statin purple cover over it, a glass ball sat in the middle. The lady in question, Jule, looked at him for about a minute, sighed, took off her gold and red headpiece, flicked on the lights and moved the glass ball to a cupboard. 

“You’re not here for a phoney reason.”

“So you’re not going to be a phoney?” 

“People, most people, don’t come in here for the truth. Even if they claim it’s what they want.” 

“I do.”

Jules smiled and nodded knowingly. The two of them sat down at the table, with the lights on fully the place was less tacky. More hipster than psychic wannabe. Jules handed him a bottle of water from under the table. She also took off her many necklaces and bracelets, looking more and more like a normal girl. Once she was done de-dressing she looked at Luke and sighed lowly, as if she was sad. “You’ve been through a lot.”

“You sensed that or something?” 

“No, I read your brother’s book.”

“Oh.”

“And I’m guessing you’re here because of your sister, and because of that house. You’re confused.”

Luke nodded. “I want to know why.”

“That’s a loaded question.”

“I know,” Luke replied. She pulled out a stack of cards, for a moment Luke thought they were tarots, but they were actually just business cards. She rifled through them, pulling out a few as she spoke. “I know a little about this kind of thing but I deal mainly with singular ghosts or spirits. Little fish. But, I have some friends who know a whole lot more than me. They’re the ones who can help you find the answers you want,” she handed him a small stack of cards, maybe ten. “But I can tell you that someone is watching you.”

“Nellie?”

“I think it’s a mix of her and your father. As well as that house. They’re all watching you. And I wouldn’t call it protective. That house isn’t good, it’s very, very bad. You need to know the extent before you continue your search,” her voice went deep, a warning. Luke startled at the quick and sudden switch. “Be careful. There are things you may not want to know. Things you will find out if you go down this path.”

Luke shrugged, his own safety was hardly a priority in his life. “I need to know.” 

“Start with the first card, David, he’ll get you going,” she started putting on her necklaces as she spoke. “And I wish you luck.”

“Thank you.”

~~

Drugs were no longer a problem for Luke. Sure, some days he wished he wasn’t sober, but they were fleeting and he never acted on it. So, he didn’t think it was a problem. Finding out the truth, however, was becoming a problem for him. There were two things were causing him to spiral, a) it was hard to find out what he needed to know and b) he was very, very, obsessed with finding it out. 

He dedicated his entire life to it. Money wasn’t a problem, not after Steve wrote another (bestselling) book and gave them all a quarter of the profit. He had gone all over America looking for answers, dipping into Mexico and Canada as well. Most people were fake, a few were real and tried to be helpful. All refused to go to the house. Luke couldn’t fault that even if it was annoying. His siblings had supported him for a while, they had questions as well, but they were starting to get worried now. Luke couldn’t fault them either. He was obsessed - he was addicted. 

Finally, after nearly ten years of searching, he found someone, Greg. He was from England but agreed to come out and see the house, to help Luke figure it all out. After doing a whole lot of research on him, Luke figured he was legit and said yes. Steven declined letting them go to the house, didn’t even entertain the notion, so, one night, they snuck in. 

They were on the property, walking towards the house as night fell. The rising darkness causing the house to loom omniletly in the near distance. A movement in the trees caused them to stop, Luke relaxing when the Dudleys came towards them. They stared at each for a hot moment before Mr Dudley laughed a little, “here for answers?” Luke nodded at his question. “You won’t find them. The house is just evil.”

“Can’t hurt to look.”

“Are you sure?” Mrs Dudley asked. Luke didn’t answer and then the two of them were gone, back towards their cottage on the edge of the property. Luke and Greg continued on. The house was dark, no lights on. A person stood in the window that was once his and Nell’s room. Luke looked away. As they got closer the front door opened, slowly with a loud and low squeal that echoed throughout the woods. 

“There are so many spirits,” Greg muttered. 

“Tell me about it,” Luke said with a sigh. The light in the main hallway flicked on when they stepped onto the patio. Greg came to a sudden halt, just before the entrance. Luke looked inside, standing at the top of the stairs was Poppy, staring down at them with a sick and twisted grin. “It’s Poppy,” Luke explained, “she owned the house before us and is insane-” as he said the last word he turned to glare at her. He only started a little when she was in his face when he turned back around. 

She was glaring at him now, her hands balled into fists. She was about to speak when Nell appeared beside her, grabbed her shoulder, and both of them disappeared. Greg’s eyes were wide as he stared at the hall in front of him. “What?” Luke asked, “never seen a ghost?”

“I can’t go in there.”

“What? You said you would!” 

“Not here. This house is - is different. We need to go. Right now.” 

Luke was about to start yelling, about how he had promised and had been paid and all that when Hugh appeared. “He’s right.”

“I’m just here to find out what’s happening,” Luke tried to plead. “I need to know.”

“Nellie is fine, she’s waiting for you. When it’s your time you can come back. Not now.”

“I just -”

“Luke,” Hugh said softly, interrupting him as Luke went to step inside, “the house won’t let you go a third time.”

Greg placed his hand on Luke’s shoulder, “I think I know what’s happening here, we can talk about it at the motel.” 

“I-”

“Come on,” Greg pulled on his arm. The two of them walked away, back to the car. Greg didn’t look back as he got into the driver’s seat. But Luke did, he looked back and watched as the lights came on. The lights came on and a woman stepped onto the porch. Another was watching from Theo’s old bedroom. Greg called to him, telling him to hurry, so he ducked into the car. Luke didn’t look back as the car pulled out. 

~~

Inside the motel room, Greg sat on a bed and Luke paced. He hadn’t felt this angry in years - since before Nellie had gone. He was royally pissed off. All he wanted was answers, why he and his family had gone through what they had gone through. What he got was his dad telling him to go away. Even after all these years, he was trying to keep the truth from him. It wasn’t sitting well with Luke. At all. 

Greg cleared his throat, Luke stopped and snapped his gaze to him. “The house,” Greg started with a sigh. “Is like a stain, you can never really get rid of it. It’s a stain on the soul that doesn’t go away. Your entire family, parents and siblings, were stained as soon as you stepped into that house. Just like the Hills and the Dudleys and anyone else who worked or lived there.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, we left. We got out.”

“Did you?” 

Luke frowned at him, “what do you mean?”

“The Hill’s are there, the Dudley’s can never leave. Your father and sister found their way back. I sensed it from the moment I meet you, something different. It’s the house.” 

“So what, we’re all stained. What does that mean.”

“I don’t know. I thought I might, I’ve seen cases similar to this but I’ve never seen a family actually get out. But I can tell you want I think, I think you’re all going to die in that house.”

Luke scoffed, “my siblings never would.” 

“And you?” Greg asked, but continued when Luke didn’t answer. “We all have a time to die, all of us. We have a date. Nell didn’t go back to the house of her own accord, she was pushed by the house. Because it knew she wouldn’t go back by herself but it needed her to die there.”

“If we don’t get back before we’re supposed to die, what? We’ll have a break down like her?” 

“I think so.”

“It’s a pretty big thing to just guess.”

Greg shrugged as he stood, “I know. I’m going to keep looking for you Luke, anything I find I’ll send to you. I have some friends who might know a thing or two. Don’t do anything until we have the answers. And don’t worry about paying me, I hardly helped.” 

Luke didn’t move as Greg left the room. 

~~

The Crain’s had a group chat. It wasn’t super active but it was the quickest way to reach all his siblings. Luke quickly constructed a text, detailing what Greg had said and how to get in touch with him in case he was wrong. He knew at least one of them would email. That was the first text sent. The second text was a lie. A lie telling his siblings of the liver cancer he had (he didn’t) and how he was only days away from the end (he wasn’t). They would believe him, they had no reason not to. He hadn’t seen any of them in weeks and he had ruined his body since he was young. 

As soon as the text was sent Luke looked up. Hill House looked exactly the same as it did when he was there that dusk. It was darker now, middle of the night and all, but somehow the house wasn’t as scary or daunting. It was just a house. A house with his twin in it. The light in their room flicked on when he looked on, as did the porch light. Luke smiled and put his phone down, stepping out. 

The house was empty as he made his way up to his old room, but he could swear he saw his parents watching from the stairs as he walked down the hallway. Inside their old room was broken and dirty. It looked like he expected it to look like after fifty years of abandonment. 

But that didn’t matter. Not one bit. Because Nell was sitting on Luke’s bed. She looked up from beside her when he came in, smiling sweetly. He stumbled as he walked to her side, but it only took him seven steps to get there. “Hey Nellie,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” She asked, and it was music to her ears to hear. 

“I-”

“Don’t. You made it.”

“I did?”

She smiled again and picked up the seven buttons from the bed and then they were walking out of the room. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“So am I,” Luke said. For a brief moment they were standing outside the red room, then they were outside their room. “And I’m not leaving you again. I’ve done it to many times.”

“You know what you have to do then?” Nellie asked, handing the buttons to him. In his hands, the buttons turned into a circle of rope. Then it was back to buttons. “It’s what I did, you know?” Luke nodded at her question, and then the buttons were gone and something heavy was on his neck. She placed her hands around his neck softly, “Luke, you know what you’re doing? You can’t go back.”

He placed his hands over hers and smiled. “I know, I want to.”

And then he stepped back, and the two of them were together again.


	6. dealt with Hill House.

The Crain children dealt with Hill House in different ways. They always had. Ever since they had left that night, crying and scared and confused, they’ve had to deal. Deal with the loss of their mother, the abandonment of their father, the distancing of the siblings. They had dealt with it all, all of the ways were unhealthy yet no one said anything. How could they? They didn’t have the answers either.

Their ways didn’t help them in the end. Denial, fear, isolation, drugs, depression. It didn’t help. They simply lived their lives going through the motions but never truly feeling. Emotions hurt, remembering hurt. Pretending that they were normal? Pretending they weren’t stained by their past? That was easy. That was what they did because it was nice and warm and easy. They pretended Hill House never even happened. But, Hill House didn’t want to be forgotten.

The Crain children dealt with Hill House in different ways. But that didn’t change the ending of their story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


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